Contenders/Pretenders New Jersey Nets

Sultan of Swat

This is a new series of threads I'm going to start, to help pass the time during this lowly offseason. It's also meant to give us all something else to do instead of talking about this betting scandal and things related to it (we all need a break from it). I'll hopefully get through every team, and post a new thread every couple of days.

For each team, we'll discuss whether they're a contender or a pretender, BUT each team's contender/pretender status is whether or not they'll make one more step further than what they did last year.

Today's team is the New Jersey Nets

C

Celtic Fan

Guest

with Kidd, Vince and RJ and the developing Kristic, they should be contenders.. and yet they keep coming up short.
Kidd is getting pretty old and Vince doesn't have the fire he once had.
they're 2nd round playoff pretenders.

Sultan of Swat

I believe they're contenders, especially with Krstic playing a full season, and getting a better center then Collins will really help them as well. Vince, Kidd and Jefferson are one of the best big three in the league, and if all of them are healthy this team should do good things. I believe anything can happen in the Eastern Conference. I believe they have a chance to make big noise when they enter the playoffs. They should also have a way better season then they did last season.

Built Ford Tough

Guest

They are contenders. They are an underrated team imo. If it wasn't for injuries last season, they would've been a top 3 team in the East. They would've beat the Cavs if it wasn't for injuries.

With Kidd, Carter and Jeffesron leading the team, they are always going to be tough. Those three alone have brought them to the playoffs before.

Add to the big three a healthy and improving Kirstic they are even scarier. Kristic is a very capable scorer. He can get 17-8 a night if need be. He will give them another option outside of the big three, which they severly lacked last season. This is going to make them even harder to stop.

Their biggest problem last season, outside of injuries, was toughness. They adressed that need by sigining Jammal Magloire. He may not be the 16-12 player he used to be but he can still get the job done. He will provide with with the toughness and rebounding they lacked last season. This signing is going to help them a lot.

There bench is solid. Not great, but they can get the job done. Williams, Nochbar, Boone, Wright and Collins can all hold down the fort when the starters need a break. These players are all very capable and can contribute. They aren't the greatest bench but it isn't going to be a liability to them like in the past.

So I think that they are contenders. The East is so wide open and if they can stay healthy, I wouldn't be suprised at all if they made it to the Finals.